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A few injury updates

Orioles pitcher Jason Hammel will throw on flat ground again on Monday and Wednesday before progressing to a mound on Friday, assuming there are no setbacks.

Hammel already has played catch twice to test his right forearm. So far, so good.

Hammel will need to make a few starts on an injury-rehab assignment before the Orioles activate him from the disabled list. They can find games for him, even if the affiliates are done playing. A few of the teams are in playoff contention, and Hammel could be added to their rosters. There's also the instructional league.

Reliever Francisco Rodriguez is available today after straining his right groin on Friday. He told manager Buck Showalter last night that he could have pitched.

The conversation this morning was brief. Rodriguez wants the ball.

Orioles vice president of baseball operations Brady Anderson watched Wilson Betemit play last night at Double-A Bowie. Betemit is coming along nicely, but Anderson told Showalter that the veteran isn't quite ready to rejoin the team.

Betemit has been getting a lot of at-bats from the right side against left-handed pitching, which isn't how the Orioles will use him.

Betemit's rehab assignment ends on Aug. 25 and the Orioles could ask for an extension.

The Orioles remain in the market for another hitter, but they will look from within first to make sure the answer isn't in their own backyard, according to Showalter.

University of Maryland football coach Randy Edsall is taking the entire team to today's game at Camden Yards.